Handle multi-purpose tool

ABSTRACT

A handle multi-tool of particular utility to electricians for performing many operations involved in electrical installations in which a number of different tools are necessary, such as: pliers, channel locks, multi-tip screw driver, level, wire nut driver, scraper, measuring tape, calculator, level, and plumb bob. All of them may be partially or totally replaced by this handle multi-tool, the shape and weight of which resembles a common screwdriver.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to multi-purpose hand tools of theparticular type utilized by electricians. More specifically, it relatesto the tools which electricians keep in their pouch.

2. Description of Prior Art

The prior arts are well documented with pliers, screwdrivers, level,wire nut drivers and many other kinds of well -known tools. Such toolsare particularly useful to electricians who desire the capabilities ofportable and compact multi-function tools to perform their tasks. Thisis even more important because of the fact that electricians must oftenwork in fairly inaccessible-locations, making the practicality ofcarrying numerous tools in their pouch often difficult or impossible.

Examples of aforementioned well-known tools are as follows:

-   -   A pair of pliers is particularly useful for gripping wire        terminals for splicing before wire nuts are connected.    -   A wire nut driver is particularly useful to screw the nut onto        the end of wires to prevent an electrician's fingers from        becoming tender and sore. Examples of wire nut drivers are        illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,862 November/73 to Miller or        US 2002/069715 A1 to Genco.    -   A plumb bob is generally useful to get a true vertical line when        fixtures or posts are installed.    -   A level generally is useful when electrical paneling, gutters,        conduits, lamps, or electrical boxes are fixed.    -   A measuring tape and a calculator is particularly useful to        determine how many feet of wound wire remain on a reel.    -   A multi-tip screwdriver is generally useful for fixing screws on        electrical boxes, connectors, paneling, etc.    -   A channel lock pliers or a file is particularly used to        smooth-burrs produced by a saw when an electrical conduit        section is cut.    -   A needle nose pliers is generally useful to bend stripped wire        terminals, which are often connected with a “U”, or “O”-form at        their ends.    -   A particular non-slip screwdriver is used at angled positions in        which a screwdriver cannot be aligned with the screw axis.    -   A lever is used to align or remove parts fastened to walls.

Accordingly, it is a principal objective of the present invention toprovide a multi-purpose hand tool, which is able to perform thementioned functions using just the subject matter of this invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its broadest description, this invention describes a multi-purposehand tool comprising:

A handle body which includes a cavity recessed from the upper endthereof, said cavity being of generally tapered section having openinterior side walls, extending from said open end through half of saidcavity, forming a socket next to the open end, sized to receive any ofthe most common sizes of wire nuts. A metallic insert extends inwardfrom the interior side walls of said socket towards the bottom of saidcavity, forming a second socket, sized to receive the most common gagesof stripped electrical wire passed endwise through said first socket andinto said second socket Three pairs of grooves are formed in saidinterior side walls on opposite sides of said first socket, sized toreceive the protruding wings of wire nuts. Three slots at the bottom ofsaid metallic insert form a “Y”-end, sized to receive said strippedwire.

A hole pierces the upper end of the handle transversally, crossingthrough said first socket on a cross-section, is sized to receive bothends of a flexible “V”-form hook.

Various numerical columns are engraved and/or painted on the generallycylindrical exterior area of the handle extending coaxially downwardfrom the upper end of said exterior area.

The exterior area of said handle is bored out to receive an embeddedlevel instrument, which includes a liquid substance, an air bubble, anda target point, so that said handle can be used as a level.

Two pairs of magnets are inserted in the exterior area of said handle,transverse to said target point, proximate to both ends on a coaxialplane and parallel to the target point plane, in such a way that thehandle can adhere to an iron surface.

An elongated metallic bar is connected to the center of the crosssection of the lower end of said handle body, extending coaxiallyoutward, with a tip receiver connected to the other end of said bar,enabling various kinds of tip drivers to be utilized.

Three steel wires connected on the bottom of the handle-body enable saidhandle to be used as a scraper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration, showing how the tool may be usedas a non-slip screwdriver to fasten a screw at a coupling.

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view from FIG. 1, taken along line B,showing the holes for plumb bob-function, the wire nut socket, and wiretwister area.

FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view from FIG. 1, taken along fine C,showing the wire twister area and a pair of magnets.

FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional view from FIG. 1, taken along fine D,showing the bayonet area and parts for performing as a scraper tool.

FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of the preferred embodiment,showing how the tool may be used as a scraper to remove burrs from anelectrical conduit.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment, performingas a loop maker.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment; performing asa multi-tip screwdriver, fastening a screw.

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration showing how the tool may be used asa lever, removing an electrical conduit from a wall.

FIG. 6 is a front view illustration, showing how the tool may be used tosplice electrical wire terminals.

FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration showing how the tool may be used todetermine what length of wound wire remains on a reel.

FIG. 8 is an elevation illustration, showing how the tool may beconnected to a hook and hung by a chord, to be used as a plumb bob.

FIG. 9 is an elevation illustration, showing the tool stuck to a steelpipe by the magnets (no shown).

FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration, showing how the tool may be usedas a wire nut driver.

FIG. 11 is a perspective illustration of the preferred embodimentcarrying the tip therewith, showing a fingertip pushing a tip to take itout.

FIG. 11A is a cross-section of FIG. 11.

FIG. 12 is a perspective illustration of the preferred embodimentcarrying the tips therewith.

FIG. 13 is an elevation illustration of all the different prior arttools for which the present invention could totally or partiallysubstitute.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

 15 Handle multi-purpose tool  17 Terminal wire-stripped  18 Terminalwire-stripped  19 Wire  23a “L”-form steel wire  23b Cavity for “L”-formsteel wire  24a “L”-form steel wire  24b Cavity for “L”-form steel wire 25a “J”-form steel wire  25b Cavity for “J”-form steel wire  26a Loopfor burr removal  26b Groove for loop of “J”-form steel wire  27 Filing,burrs  28 Electric conduit  29 Electric conduit cross section edge  30Wire nut socket  31 Loop  33 Bore for “V”-form hook  34 Bore for “V”form hook  35a Groove of socket wire nut receiver  35b Groove of socketwire nut receiver  36a Groove of socket wire nut receiver  36b Groove ofsocket wire nut receiver  37a Groove of socket wire nut receiver  37bGroove of socket wire nut receiver  38 Metallic insert  39a Slot at theend of metal insert  39b Slot at the end of metal insert  39c Slot inend of metal insert  39y Slot base of “Y”-form  40 Level instrument  41Bayonet  42 Target point  43 Liquid of level instrument  44 Cavity forinstrument level  45 Wire  46 Bayonet free end  47a Terminal wirebetween bar and bayonet  47b Space to set stripped wire terminal  48Magnets  49 Magnets  50 Bar  51 Tip receiver  52 Bar section for holdingwire terminal  53 Slotted screw head  54 Surface to be fastened  55Conduit section  56 Bar section in contact with conduit  57 Notch at tipreceiver extension  58 Notch at tip receiver extension  60a Short Flattip  60a′ Flat section of short tip  61a Flat tip  61b Tip holder  62aPhillips tip  62b Tip holder  63 Pivot point  64 Extension walls  65Extension walls  66 Screw head  67 Coupling nut  69 Groove toaccommodate forefinger  70 Hook  71 Hook angle  72 Cord  73 Hook end  74Hook end  77 Pivot point  78 Wall section  79 Conduit strap  82Numerical column  83 Reel edge  84 Reel of #14 THWN wire  85 Wire woundon reel  86 Wire gage indicator  88a Reference point  88b Floor mark  89Gravity force direction  92 Spliced wires  94 Wire nut  95a Wire nutwing  95b Wire nut wing  97 Elastic band  98 Cavity for band  99aFingertip  99b Tip holder upper end 101 Plumb bob 102 Lever 103 Multitip screwdriver 104 Wire nut tool 105 Pliers 106 Needle nose pliers 107Channel lock 108 Measurement tape and calculator 109 Non-slipscrewdriver 110 Level

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a multi-purposehand tool, integrally formed with an elongated body. Its generallycylindrical cross-section is composed of a substantially plastic orartificial resin material and comprises a handle body generallydesignated by the numeral 15 FIG. 1, having a fixed bar 50 at the centerof its lower end. Said bar 50 includes a tip receiver 51 at its free endto which various kinds of tips 60 a, 61 a and 62 a FIG. 1T can becoupled. Said tip receiver 51 includes a particular cylindrical formextension 64, 65 FIGS. 1 and 1A which is slightly wider than the tipreceiver and is suitable to hide the flat section 60 a′ of the saidshorter particular tip 60 a. Said extension includes two “U”-formnotches 57, 58 to provide access to said shorter tip 60 a as it is shownin FIGS. 1, 1A; said tip receiver 51 and tips 60 a, 61 a and 62 a,obviously, become the preferred embodiment 15, a multi-tip screwdriver,shown in FIG. 4, with the ability of fastening a screw head 53 to asurface 54, as does the multi-tip screwdriver shown in 103 FIG. 13.

The shorter particular tip 60 a FIGS. 1 and 1A is able to perform at aparticularly awkward angle, at which a common screwdriver would slide,because it isn't aligned with the screw axis. FIG. 1 and 1A show how theflat section 60 a′ of said shorter tip 60 a stays in place, even thoughthe axis of the screw 66 and coupling nut 67 are not aligned with thetip's axis, as does a non-slip screwdriver 109 of FIG. 13.

The multi-purpose tool 15 shows in FIGS. 1A, 1B a cross-section ofcavity 30, recessed from the upper end thereof, having upper interiorsidewalls which include three pairs of grooves 35 a, 35 b; 36 a, 36 band 37 a, 37 b formed in the handle material itself, equally spaced,extending from said open end to half the depth of said cavity 30,forming a socket/wire nut receiver, proximate said open end sized toreceive the protruding wings of any of the most common sizes of wirenuts, as does wire nut driver tool 104 FIG. 13.

A metallic insert 38 in the lower half of said cavity 30, extending fromthe upper interior sidewalls downward, forming an interior portionconsisting of a metallic socket 38 which includes three slots 39 a, 39 band 39 c, all of which are slightly wider than one stripped #12 wire andnarrower than two stripped #14 wires, said slots being 120° apart, inthe shape of a “Y”-form base 39 y. Said insert 38 is shown at FIGS. 1A,1C and 6; said metallic insert socket 38 is sized to receive the mostcommon gages of stripped electrical wire ends 17, 18 b passed endwisethrough said first socket 30 and into said socket 38. The wires 19 to beconnected are passed endwise through the first socket into the secondsocket. The handle 15 is rotated and the stripped wires 19 are splicedas it is shown in FIG. 6, as do pliers 105 FIG. 13. Then, spliced wires92 are passed into the wire nut 94, as shown in FIG. 10. The open end ofthe first socket is passed over the nut and the handle is slightlyrotated until the nut's wings, 95 a and 95 b, pass into grooves 37 a and37 b. The nut 94 is screwed into place on the wires by rotating thehandle, which applies substantial torque to complete the work when it isrotated by hand 93, as does wire nut driver 104 FIG. 13.

Holes 33, 34 transversally pierce the upper end of handle 15. Said holes33, 34 cross through the first cavity 30 FIGS. 1A, 1B on onecross-sectional line and are suitable to receive a “V”-form flexiblehook. The “U”-form hook 70 is made of flexible steel wire, so that bothends 73, 74 close when it is compressed by hand. It returns to its openposition when pressure is released. Thus, the “U”-form hook 70 iscoupled in place by passing the hook ends 73, 74, into holes 33, 34 fromthe inside to the outside, via cavity 3Q. Thus, when the cord 72 isconnected at angle 71 of the “U”-form hook 70 and it is hung at thereference point 88 a, as it is shown in FIG. 8, the multi-purpose toolis suitable to be used to compare the parallelism with gravity forcedirection 89 and the floor mark 88 b as does a plumb bob 101 FIG. 13.

Various numerical columns, engraved and/or painted on the generallycylindrical exterior area of the handle 15, extend coaxially downwardfrom the upper end of said exterior area. As it can be seen in FIG. 7,the handle body 15 is placed in such a way that the tipper end abutsinto the wound wire 85 on the reel 84. Then, it is possible to read thenumeral in the column 82 which corresponds to the reel edge 83, todetermine the amount of would wire 85 remaining on a reel 84, as does ameasurement tape and calculator 108, shown in FIG. 13. Notice that thewire gage number and insulation type 86 are near the numerical columns.

FIG. 1A shows a circular cavity 44 in the exterior area of the handlebody 15, wherein a sealed container 40 is embedded, said container 40made of a transparent material and including a liquid substance 43 andan air bubble therein, as well as a target point 42 traced on theexterior area of said transparent container 40. Thus, the preferredembodiment of the present invention could be placed in such positionthat the target point 42 could be used to compare the horizontally withgravity force direction 89, as shown in FIG. 9, as does a level 110 FIG.13.

Two pairs of magnets 48, 49 are embedded at the exterior area of handlebody 15. Both of said magnet pairs 48, 49 are placed on the same plane,diametrical and parallel to the target point 42 plane, as it is shown inFIG. 1A. Said two pairs of magnets 48, 49 enable the handle body 15 toadhere to any iron surface, so that the target point 42 can be observedas shown in FIG. 9. Thus, the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention may be used as a magnetic level 110, as shown in FIG. 13.

Three “L”-form cavities 23 b, 24 b y 25 b, 26 b, are separated by 120°at the lower end of the handle 15, of which the shorter sides aregrooves extending as three radius from the exterior edge to the centerand continuing coaxially inward as three flanges proximate andperpendicular to the bar 50, as it is clearly shown in FIG. 1A, 1D.

Two “L”-form steel wires 23 a, 24 a are embedded in said “L”-formcavities 23 b, 24 b and a “J”-form steel wire 25 a is embedded in said“L”-form cavity 25 b, 26 b. Notice that said “J”-form steel wireincludes a loop at its free end. In FIG. 2, it clearly shows thepreferred embodiment 15 can perform as a scraper to remove burns 27 fromthe edge 29 of a cut piece of electrical conduit 28 by rotating thehandle body 15, as commonly do electricians, using channel locks 107 ofFIG. 13. Notice that the loop 26 a performs to remove burrs 27 insideand outside of conduit 28.

FIGS. 1A, 1D and 3, show a bayonet form steel wire 41 of circularcross-section connected to the upper end of the tip receiver 51,extending upward and having a free end 46 which is apart from bar 50.Said free end 46 is suitable to make any kind of loop 31, even a closed“0” form loop 47 a on a stripped wire terminal 45, by setting it on thespace 47 b between the bar section 52 and the bayonet offset 46 androtating the handle body 15, as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, the preferredembodiment performs as a needle-nose pliers 106; FIG. 13.

FIG. 5 shows that the preferred embodiment may be used as a lever toalign or remove electrical conduit 55 or the like affixed to a wall 78.By setting the end of the bar 50 between an affixed electrical conduit55 and the wall 78, and pulling the handle body 15 so that the bar 50pivots at its free end 77, the bar 56 puts pressure on the conduit 55and strap 79. Thus, the preferred embodiment performs as the lever shown102 in FIG. 13.

Additional Embodiment

Additional embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11 and 11A. In this case, thehand tool 15 includes various additional elongated cavities 61 b, 62 b.An elastic band 97 is placed in a groove 98 encircling said elongatedcavities 61 b, 62 b, which are designed to keep a set of tips 61 a, 62 aintegrated with said hand tool 15 therein. Said elongated cavities 61 b,62 b are positioned in the exterior area all around the hand tool 15,extending coaxially about mid-length along the handle body 15, eachcavity 61 b and 62 b alternating with an open strip alongside. Saidcavities are slightly wider at the top, including a circular form 99 b.Both the ramp form 63 and the wider upper end 99 b of said cavitiesallow that a tip 62 a pivots when it is pushed by a fingertip 99 a, inorder to remove tips.

Alternative Embodiment

There is another different possibility with regard to the position ofthe cavities 61 b, 62 b to keep a set of tips 61 a, 62 a integrated withthe hand tool 15, as illustrated in FIG. 12, which shows said cavities61 b, 62 b positioned around the lower end of said hand tool 15. Anelastic band 97 is placed in a groove 98, which encircles said elongatedcavities 61 b, 62 b (including an open strips between cavities and twoopen ends to provide withdrawal of said tips 61 a, 62 a, either upwardor downward by an open end at the bottom or downward by pushing with afingertip at the upper end of said cavity) and is accessible by thegroove 69 around hand tool 15.

Advantages:

From the description above, a number of advantages of my handle toolbecome evident:

-   -   A lesser amount of artificial resin or plastic is used to        manufacture it.    -   Substitute partially or totally the functions of the ten        aforementioned prior arts;    -   A drastic reduction in the tool pouch weight.    -   No moving parts are needed to perform its several functions.    -   A durable multi-function hand tool.    -   A greater performance and productivity of the operator.    -   It is easier to set the wire nut in the socket than in prior        arts.    -   The manufacturing cost is less than some of the prior art for        which my invention substitutes.    -   Easily identifiable by touch.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A multi-purpose tool comprising; a) a handle bodyincluding b) a generally tapered cavity at the upper end of said handlebody, extending coaxially inward, having an open end and interiorsidewalls, said sidewalls having various spaced pairs of grooves forminga socket wire nut drive, sized to receive the most frequently used wirenut sizes; c) a metallic insert fixed in the innermost section of saidtapered cavity, said insert having an open end at the top and variousslots at the bottom, said Slots being slightly wider than across-section of one #12 stripped wire, and slightly narrower than across-section of two #14 stripped wires together, enabling wireinsertion in order to align and twist various stripped terminal wires#12 and #14; d) a cavity in the exterior area of said handle body and alevel instrument embedded in said cavity, and a means to adhere saidhandle body to any ferrometallic surface, said means to adhere fixed onthe opposite plane from said level instrument target point plane; e)various columns of characters on the surface alongside of said handlebody, said characters are closely related to the amount of wound wire ona reel, each column of characters also having an identifying markrelated to wires' and reels' specific characteristics; f) a pair ofholes diametrically piercing said tapered cavity closely to the upperend said handle body sized to receive both ends of a flexible “V” formcord-hook passed endwise through said tapered cavity, a bar fixed at thecenter of the lower end of said handle body, said bar includes a tipreceiver and a phillips tip set in said tip receiver; g) two metallic“L” form inserts and one “J” form insert, all of the letter forms insertapproximately 120° from each other, are embedded at the lower end ofsaid handle body, the longer sides of said three inserts extendingcoaxially inward close to said bar, the shorter sides of said letterform inserts extending radially from the center to the periphery of saidhandle body, the shorter sides of said two inserts set semi-embedded inthe lower face of said handle body, said “J” form insert includes aninverted “V” form at its exposed end; h) said bar being of a rigidmaterial; i) a bayonet form attached close to the lower end of said bar,said bayonet having a free end extending parallel and close to said bar;j) said tip receiver having an extension which is wider than said tipreceiver, said extension includes two “U” form notches which providepurchase to fingers for removing or setting a particular shorter flattip, whose flat section does not overhang said extension edge, whereby,said structure performs partially or totally as a group of existingprior arts does; a wire nut driver, a pliers, a level, a plum bob, ameasurement tape with a calculator, a multi-tip screwdriver, a channellock, a lever, a needle nose pliers, and a non-slip screwdriver,providing an overall increase in working speed and a great reduction ofthe weight and size of a tool pouch, as well a reduction ofmanufacturing costs.
 16. The multi-purpose tool defined in claim 1wherein said handle body includes elongated cavities encircling saidhandle body, said cavities having an end slightly wider than the otherend and a ramp on the bottom extending from the center of said cavity,also, a groove surrounding said cavities about mid-length, said cavitieseach store a tip which pivots when a fingertip pushes it to be removedfrom said cavity.
 17. The multi-purpose tool defined in claim 1 whereinsaid handle body includes an extended protuberance at its lower end,said protuberance having multiple open strips alongside, encircling saidprotuberance, at about the mid-length of said open strips, there is alow-protuberance groove with an elastic means which holds each tipwithin said open strip.